


Adjustments | [11th!Doctor X Reader]

by midnighteclipse



Series: Catching Up With the Times | [10th!Doctor X Reader X 11th!Doctor] [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Character Study, F/M, HERE IT COMES, Multi, Reader-Insert, Relationship Study, WHOOP DE DOO, but..., i said I wasn't going to make a second part, sequel to times have changed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-05-10 00:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5561941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnighteclipse/pseuds/midnighteclipse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two weeks now since the Doctor changed. Two weeks since you met Amelia Pond. You still haven't come back to see her for a third time. You and the Doctor are still adjusting to the new him and are worried if you two will ever stop adjusting to your new lives and new relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, yeah. I know I said I wasn't going to make a second part, but my brain wouldn't agree and kept churning out new ideas.  
> This story is going to be a multi-chapter fic. Not sure how long yet and where it will end. hopefully you guys are willing to stick through it with me. I hope you all enjoy!

The Doctor would be lying if he said that getting used to a new regeneration was easy.  He forgot who he was after his seventh for Rassilon's sake!   
  
But now that he was on his twelfth regeneration, his eleventh body; he couldn't help but have some doubts. It's only been two weeks since he changed from being rude and not ginger to not a girl and _still_ not ginger; but even he could tell that you were having some time adjusting despite his new found cluelessness.    
  
Of course he couldn't blame you. It wasn't normal for humans to have a best friend and possible love interest suddenly change before their very eyes after all.   
  
There were so many things about him that changed now that he was in his new body. He hated apples and jams, talked so much with his hands that he nearly slapped you several times while he was speaking, and was much more clumsy than ever.   
  
He was beginning to reconsider having you deal with so much in such a short amount of time. He never remembered any of his other companions having much of a problem after a regeneration. Rose probably had the easiest transition out of all of his companions. But then she was always okay with sudden changes and erratic behavior, it was in her personality. You on the other hand were more of a creature of habit and had not yet created your routine with this version of him.   
  
His eyes flitted over to where you sat at the foot of the TARDIS entrance. The corners of his mouth lifted up into a soft smile. Even so, somethings hadn't changed. You still made sure you watched the stars before heading off to sleep.   
  
The Doctor’s smile faded as he remembered what had happened two weeks ago. After feeling his heartbeats, you cried yourself to sleep on his chest. He could still remember the ache he felt in his chest whenever he would hear you sniffle against him. All he could do was stroke your hair until he lulled you to sleep.   
  
Even after he explained everything, he knew he had broken your heart. He could tell you were hiding it too. Whenever you looked at him he saw something in your eyes he wished he would never have to see, longing. Of course there was love somewhere in there but not like it once was. It was a sad love, not the gleeful love he had once seen in your eyes.   
  
  
You leaned back on your hands as you stared up at the Carina Nebula. It was beautiful. You patted the TARDIS's door frame appreciatively. She always brought you to the most beautiful places, especially when you were having a hard time.    
  
You sighed quietly, you had been having a hard time these last two weeks. You still weren't completely adjusted to this new version of him, of the Doctor. He was still him, you knew that but even then it didn't make this transition any easier. If anything, it made things only more difficult. All you did was remember the great things when the Doctor had great hair and piercing brown eyes and focus on all the negative things now that he was all chin and braces*.   
  
It was frustrating, especially since you were determined to get through this and stay with him. You close your eyes, remembering that night two weeks ago. That was the first time the Doctor declared his love for you. Which couldn't be anymore ironic. The man you loved confessed after he burned away and became completely different.   
  
But still, despite the heartbreak you were going to stay strong. One life changing event was not about to make you give up your life of adventure with the Doctor.   
  
You glanced over to the Doctor as he sat beside you. Right on time too, you were beginning to get sleepy. Just like old times you leaned your head on his shoulder-which you noticed was lower now- and watched the stars.    
  
His shoulder, you noticed, was softer than it used to be, less boney. However the tweed was a bit scratchy. But even so, it hadn't taken long for you to allow physical contact from the Doctor. It was new, it was different. It was like meeting him all over again, in a good way. He was more gentle, less brash and rough than his last self. He treated you like fine china now, being careful not to hold your hand too tight or pull you too hard when he wanted to show you something. It was sweet. It was him.   
  
Soon enough the Doctor began explaining the history of the Carina Nebula and how it achieved so many colors. You smiled a small smile. Despite the drastic changes, the Doctor always made sure to dedicate time to you. Which you couldn't be more grateful for. You were already getting used to this new anatomy of his. He was a couple centimeters shorter for starters and a different type of skinny and not as lanky as his previous body. You even noticed he was a little bowlegged and uncoordinated most times. Even so, they were his new quirks. You weren't the only one who had to get used to it.   
  
When the Doctor finally placed his hand on yours hesitantly you looked up at him.   
  
"When are we going to visit Amelia?"   
  
His eyes flitted down to yours. "We'll go when you're ready. Besides, we can go traveling a year and come back in five minutes. Time machine remember?"   
  
"Yeah but... I don't want you mucking up things with her again. Time wise, I mean. She wasted twelve years waiting for us. It would be a shame if she lost more years because we decided to take a vacation."    
  
"A much needed vacation. Can't exactly go running around saving the day if I can't even figure out how to move this ridiculous body."   
  
You patted his leg and stood up. "Yeah, no. Enough of that excuse. I saw you waltzing through the console room last night. Let's go see Amelia."   
  
With a forced smile the Doctor complied.   
  
He didn't want to. Not really. But when he saw the undeterred and fearless look in your eyes that he hadn't seen in weeks he consented.    
  
You couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride in your heart. You knew he didn't want to leave yet. Neither did you. But your conscience wouldn't allow you to sit all cozy in the TARDIS while the little girl -now a woman- that you only met a couple weeks ago stood waiting in her garden for your return.   
  
You knew know what it was like to expect something only for your expectations to be torn down. It had already happened to her once twelve years ago. You really didn't want her to have to go through it again.   
  
The Doctor pulled down a lever on the console and pressed some buttons.   
  
"Garden of Amelia Pond, 2008." The Doctor took your hand and pulled it over to a lever. "Will you do the honor?"   
  
Nodding, the two of you pulled down the lever and held onto the console as the TARDIS closed her doors and took off.   
  
A warm and fuzzy feeling that was all too familiar settled in your chest when the Doctor held on to the railings behind you, his arms on either side of you. It was a habit he had picked up back in his last regeneration one time when you cut your hands on the TARDIS's old grating floor. From then on he made sure not to let you fall. Which was endearing now more than ever.   
  
You knew he didn't want you to go through any more extreme changes. So you couldn't help but appreciate every time you found him doing things he used to do on a regular basis. It made the transition easier in its own little way.   
  
With a thump the TARDIS landed and the two of you exchanged a look.   
  
Straightening himself and adjusted his bow-tie the Doctor looked towards the TARDIS doors. "Time to go see Amelia."


	2. Maiden Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and the Doctor pick up your new passenger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as to the following chapters; they will all be based off of actual episodes however they obviously won't be to the script. I will be adding and removing certain scenes from an episode in order for it to fit the needs of the reader insert. I hope you all enjoy the chapters to come. :)

  
The two of you stood in front of the TARDIS. The Doctor rocked and forth between the heels and balls of his feet while you stood a bit to the side behind him. It was his ship after all. It only made sense that he were to be the first to greet Amelia.

The Doctor turned around. "Is my bow-tie straight?"

"You've asked that twenty times in five minutes so I'll say it again. _Your bowtie is perfectly aligned._ " You replied in exasperation. It would take a bit of getting used to his new obsession with bow-ties.

Satisfied, he turned back around. A grin lit up his face when he saw Amy's bedroom light turn on.

He whipped his head back again suddenly. "Are you sure?"

You sighed, "Come here."

You pulled the Doctor towards you by the shoulder and spun him around. Your fingers grabbed on to his bow-tie, loosening and tightening the according knots. Straightening the bow and splaying the fabric flat against the collar of his shirt you gave a satisfied nod. 

"There, perfect."

The Doctor smiled down at you. It was a smile you saw often on his face. You weren't exactly sure what it was yet, but you had an idea. 

You smiled back softly at the Doctor. His hands went up to your wrists and his thumbs rubbed against them. Once again, he always made sure to be gentle.

"Am I interrupting something?"

The two of you jolted away from eachother. You blushing furiously and the Doctor wringing his hands together as he greeted Pond. 

"Ah, right, yes.  Hello, Ameli- er- Amy." The Doctor splayed his arms out in greeting and smiled crookedly.

"Hello." Amy stretched out the 'o' as she glanced between the two of you. She almost seemed smug to have caught the two of you doing... whatever it was you two were doing. "You're back." 

"We're back." The Doctor brought his hands up slightly in celebration. You resisted the urge to snort. He was more dorky now. But still, he was your dork. "We always come back."

"Yay." Amy deadpanned. "What took you so long?" Her tone of voice rose with every syllable.

You cut in now. “She's brand new now." You patted the TARDIS lovingly. "Needed to break her in before we invited you." 

"Yep," The Doctor folded his hands in front of him. "Just a quick hop to the Moon and back. She's ready for the big stuff now." He lied and grinned in anticipation.

"Wait. Invite me? Where?" She looked the TARDIS up and down critically. "In the box?"

"Yes. You, me, and ______. Anywhere in time in space in the little blue box." 

"Are you from another planet?" Her eyes landed on you, waiting for an answer.

"I'm not, but him? He's as alien as it gets."

The Doctor frowned slightly and stuck his thumbs beneath his braces. "I'll take that as a compliment. So what do you think?"

"Of what?"

"Other planets. Want to go check some out?"

"What does that mean?" She took a small step back.

"It means. Well, it means come with us." 

"Where?" She looked up at the TARDIS.

"Anywhere you want."

Amy blinked owlishly. "All that stuff that happened. The hospital, the spaceships, Prisoner Zero."

The Doctor waved dismissively.  "Oh, don't worry, that's just the beginning. There's loads more."

Amy shook her head. "Yeah, but those things, those amazing things, all that stuff." She stepped closer to the two of you. "That was two years ago!"

You cursed, pressing the heel of your hand against your forehead in defeat. He mucked up the landing. Again.

The smile on the Doctor's face was wiped clean off. "So that's."

"Fourteen years!"

"Fourteen years since fishfingers and custard." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Amelia Pond, the Girl Who Waited. You've waited long enough."

Her eyes trailed back to the Tardis. "When I was a kid, you said there was a swimming pool and a library, and the swimming pool was in the library." She looked back at the Doctor.

"Yeah. Not sure where it's gone to now. ______, didn't you find it?"

"Yep." You replied, popping the 'p' cheekily. "It's in the aquarium now."

"There you go, " grinned the Doctor. "So, coming?"

"No." 

Your smile softened. You could hear the doubt in her voice. The curiosity. Deep down Amy was still little Amelia Pond waiting for Frazzled ______ and the Raggedy Doctor.

The Doctor rose his eyebrows. "You wanted to come fourteen years ago."

"I grew up."

"Don’t worry, I'll soon fix that." 

The Doctor snapped his fingers with a smirk and the TARDIS doors opened automatically. The light from the inside washed the garden in a soft yellow, drawing Amelia in. She took a step forward, then another. Her eyes wide as she finally walked in and tried to drink in everything she saw at once.

She pursed her lips, as if to stop herself from gaping like a fish. Her eyes glanced back and forth from the walls, to the tall ceiling, to the glass console floor, and finally to the console's pillar. 

The Doctor and you followed after her exchanging a glance as well as a smile. Passing by her on both sides, the two of you walked up the stairs to the console.

He folded his hands in front of him. "Well? Anything you want to say? Any passing remarks?"

You smirked. "We've heard them all."

"I'm in my nightie." She mumbled, still in awe of the immensity of the TARDIS. 

"Don't worry," you replied. "I'll take you down to the wardrobe."

"Hold on a sec." Amy frowned and looked over at the Doctor. "You said you two only went to the Moon. How do you know where everything is already?"

She crossed her arms.

"Uhm, well, you see..." You stammered looking back at the Doctor for some help.

Amy's eyebrows rose as she waited an for an answer.

"We took a vacation before coming." The Doctor answered as if nothing was wrong with that. "A much needed vacation."

Amy scoffed. "From what?"

You simply answered with "It's complicated," and left it at that. You didn't really want to elaborate further and you knew the Doctor didn't either. Not yet anyway.

"You two are so sure that I'm coming, even with your little secrets and taboos. Why?"

"Easy," the Doctor answered. "You're the Scottish girl in an English village and I know how that feels. Yeah, you're  coming." The Doctor rounded the console. 

Amy paused. "Can you get me back for tomorrow morning?" She made her way up the stairs and up to the console, eyeing every button, toggle, and switch curiously.

The Doctor looked up from the console. "It's a time machine. I can get you back five minutes ago. Why? What's tomorrow?"

"Nothing. Nothing." Amy leaned on the console. "Just, you know, stuff."

You furrowed your eyebrows. You were a woman. You knew exactly what "stuff" meant. There was something important tomorrow that she didn't particularly want to share. Which, judging by the Doctor's ability to land at the wrong time would not exactly go as planned for her. You just hoped it wasn't something drastic.

  
After the Doctor punched in the coordinates and entered the Time Vortex, you led Amy down the hallway towards the wardrobe room. The way there was different now, but the TARDIS always made sure to guide you so you wouldn't get lost.

Your eyes found their way back to Amy who was walking beside you, peering at every door. You couldn't help but smile whenever you saw her face. She almost reminded you of when you had first stepped foot on the TARDIS. You couldn't even begin to believe how big she had been when you first came. Now you never really thought about it twice when you would find a new room or hallway.

But seeing Amy's face, you figured this was what the Doctor felt every time he brought a new companion aboard.

"Are you doing alright?" You asked as the two of you passed a glowing door with neon lights. "This place can be a bit, you know, much at first."

"Huh?" Amy looked at you with wide eyed before registering what you said. "Oh yeah, yeah. I'm fine, it's just... it's just like the Doctor said. It's a whole other world in here. I thought, well, I was beginning to think he was just a madman in a box that dragged you along for the ride."

You stopped walking which made Amy stop too. You put both your hands on her shoulders and looked her dead in the eye with a serious face. "Amy Pond, there's something very important you need to understand about the Doctor and I. You're life might even depend on it one day."

She nodded with her eyes wide.

 "The Doctor is definitely a madman in a box and I was most definitely dragged along for the ride. You just got roped in too. And there are so many beautiful, wonderful things that you are going to see. But you're also going to see horrible, terrible things, and sometimes you won't be able to sleep at night without getting nightmares. But always remember that everything we do, everything that you will do, will be more important than anything else you have done with your life. You are making a difference and that’s one thing that makes everything so worth it. Alright?"

"I... yeah." Amy nodded. "You've been with him a long time."

You let go of Amy and kept walking with him. "Only three years, I think. It could be longer. Time is weird on the TARDIS." You two finally arrived at the correct door, a wooden pocket door like a walk-in-closet. "Don't worry though, you'll get used to it soon enough."

The two of you went through dozens of racks looking for clothes that fit and suited Amy. Her long legs made it difficult to find any pants so the two of you had to settle with several mini skirts, five pairs of shorts and just two pairs jeans for now.

"Well," you gathered the blouses and sweaters she had chosen in your arms. "I think you're covered for the next week."

"Yep," Amy yawned.

You found yourself yawning in return. "I think it's about time to sleep anyway." 

"When do you sleep?"

You hummed. "Whenever I get tired, or when the Doctor tells me I've been running too long without it." The two of you stepped out of the wardrobe. "Now let's go see what room the TARDIS picked out for you. This is the exciting part." You grinned as Amy ran ahead of you.

  
Afrer helping Amy putting away her clothes and saying goodnight you went down to the console room. You were exhausted having put off sleep for more hours than you intended, but it was worth seeing Amy's face. You were just going to see the stars one last time before heading off to sleep.

You came in to the room, seeing the Doctor fiddling with the console beneath the glass floor. A warm feeling welled up in your chest of the familiarity of it. No matter what the Doctor lloked like it seemed like he was never done maintaining the TARDIS. You were beginning to think he only did it to impress you.

Snapping your fingers the TARDIS doors flew open revealing a beautiful galaxy. It reminded you a lot of the VanGogh painting Starry Night. Blue and teal and green and yellow swirled to form balls of yellow light surrounded by a murky blue backdrop. 

You sat down gently and leaned your head against the door frame. Sooner than you expected, the Doctor sat down next to you and took your hand in his. You surpressed the urge to smirk. Another thing about this version of the Doctor, he was much more tactile than his previous body. But of course you didn't complain. You'd take any excuse to be able to sit this close next to the Doctor.

Your head found its way to his shoulder and the two of you fell into your routine of him lecturing and rubbing your hand whilst you leaned on him and listened with full attention.

  
Amy wasn't sure how, but she made it back to the console room. 

She probably should have felt bad poking in on the two of you sitting side to side at the edge of the TARDIS. But instead, she felt a mixture of relief and satisfaction.

Despite the years and years of telling Mels that she did not fancy the Doctor, she was lying straight through her teeth. And she knew Mels knew because why else would she keep asking if she thought he was hot?  
   
But then highschool came around and so did her interest in boys. 'Course nothing could compare to the Doctor, that is until she found out Rory was actually not gay.

And why shouldn't she love Rory? She loved how easily she could fluster him and how great he was with kids and how he always put up with her despite her volatile personality. He was perfect and normal Rory Brian Williams.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek. That's right, Rory. She was getting married tomorrow or whenever the Doctor took her back.

Talk about a case of cold feet.

Amy groaned and thunked her head against the doorframe. She couldn't keep postponing her marriage. Okay, maybe she could. But she had no intention of walking down the aisle old and wrinkly.

If only Rory would come with them. Then she wouldn't feel so guilty.

Wait a minute. He could come along! All she had to do was explain to the Doctor.

Tomorrow. She was way too tired to interrupt you and the Doctor in the middle of your sappy lovey-dovey time.


	3. How Things Work Around Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three of you step foot on Starship UK. A place where secrets were deeper than you thought.

**29th c. A.D.**  
 **Starship UK**  
  
'Welcome to London Market. You are being monitored.'  
  
"Well that's lovely..." You mutter as you closed the TARDIS doors behind you.  
  
You followed behind Amy and the Doctor. You decided you would let the Doctor do his thing while you observed.  
  
At first, you liked the idea of visiting the Starship UK, but once you stepped foot out the TARDIS you couldn't help but feel watched. It was like someone or something was watching your every move, trying to predict what you would do next. It freaked you out beyond what you would care to admit. This only meant one thing.   
  
This place _needed_ the Doctor.  
  
You watched as he snatched a glass of water from a couple's table and placed it on the floor. Good. It wasn't just your imagination. He had noticed something was off too.  
  
Your eyebrows furrowed as he stared into the contents of the cup. What was he looking for? Contaminents in the water? The strength of the ship's gravity?   
  
Shaking your head, you decided to keep observing. There was no point in letting him do all the fun stuff.  
You glanced around the market. Several stalls were opened; coffee shops, restaurants, clothing departments, you were even sure you spotted a tattoo parlor.   
  
As you continued looking you spot a strange booth. Several, actually. They were shiny and red, they practically looked brand new. But it was what was inside them that mostly caught your attention. It looked like a mannequin. But instead of being made of plastic it looked like it was made of tin.  
  
They looked like a regular old carnival attractions. Like those little booths where you would put a ticket in and it would tell you your future.  
  
 The paint on the face and the style of the craftsmanship all pointed to something of that sort. But you felt something weird. It was difficult to describe. It was almost like dread. Like your body was telling you that that thing was not harmless and much more dangerous than it looked.  
  
You swallowed thickly and looked back at the Doctor and Amy. They were both talking about the little girl. You could tell that much from this distance. You walked up to them, wanting to tell them about the smiling mannequin-thingies.  
  
”One little girl crying. So?" Amy scootched over when she saw you come up.  
  
The Doctor moved over as well, allowing you space to sit to his right.  
  
"Crying silently." He took another quick glance at the girl then back to Amy. "I mean, children cry because they want attention, because they're hurt or afraid. But when they cry silently, it's because they just can't stop." The Doctor's green eyes drifted back to the little girl. "Any parent knows that."  
  
"Are you a parent?"  
  
You grimace. Touchy subject. As you expected, the Doctor ignored the question and kept talking.  
  
"Hundreds of parents walking past who spot her and not one of them's asking what's wrong, which means they already know, and it's something they don't talk about.”  
  
You eyed the booths. Not a single person raised their eyes to look at it, and any children who did were quickly reprimanded by their parents. You looked back at the Doctor curiously.  
  
"Secrets. They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows, whatever they're afraid of, it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere."  
  
 Grabbing the Doctor's hand, you cut in. "The booths."  
  
He smiled proudly. "Atta girl."  
  
He drummed on his knees before standing. "Now, off to find Mandy Tanner."  
  
Amy frowned. "Who?"  
  
"Little girl who just left," the Doctor replied, producing a colorful wallet from the inside of his jacket. "Deck two oh seven. Apple Sesame block, dwelling 54A." He tossed the wallet towards Amy and she caught it. "This fell out of her pocket when I accidentally bumped into her. Took me four goes."  
  
You chuckled. "So much for stealth. She'll know something is up."  
  
"Which is why you two will talk to her. Girl to girl to Scott. It'll be fun. Ask about the smiling fellows in the booths. Why is everyone afraid of them?"  
  
"What?" Amy raised in eyebrow. "But they're just things."  
  
"They're clean." The Doctor cocked his head in the direction of the nearest one. "No one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Now go catch up with Mandy."  
  
"B-but what do I do? What do I say?"  
  
"I'll talk first." You say reassuringly. "You'll get the hang of it in no time. C'mon."  
  
"Hold on." Amy held her hand up and looked at the Doctor. "What will you do?"  
  
The Doctor grinned. "What I always do, stay out of trouble, badly."  
  
Amy rose her eyebrows and glanced between the two of you with crossed arms. "So is this how things work then? Never interfere in the affairs of other people's or planets, unless there's children crying?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
You shrugged. "Pretty much." You grabbed Amy's arm and pulled her along. "Now come on, we've got a middle schooler to catch."  
  
"Meet back here in half an hour." The Doctor called out as you and Amy walked off to look for Mandy.  
  
As the two of you navigated the streets of London you couldn't help but feel grateful of the fact that most of the streets remained with the same names as in the twenty-first century.  
  
 As the two of you rounded a corner you came across another booth with another mannequin. A few feet always was a closed off street surrounded by a large tent and under lock and key.  
  
"You two are following  me."  
  
You whipped your head around to see the little girl, Mandy Tanner.   
  
"I saw you staring at me in the marketplace."  
  
"You're good at keeping an act." You cocked your chin. "Crying for so long must hurt the throat."  
  
"It wasn't an act." She answered indignantly.  
  
"Then why were you crying? Has it got anything to do with those things in the booths?"  
  
"We don't talk about them." She looked at the booth warily.   
  
Amy jumped in. "Why not?"  
  
"Because we don't." Mandy said it like it was obvious.  
  
"Fine. What's under the tent then?"  She prodded.  
  
"A hole."  
  
"A hole?!"  
  
"One hell of a hole," you stated. The two of you walked over to it and went beneath the police tape.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Mandy walked over nervously behind the both of you.  
  
"Picking a lock." You took a bobby pin out your pocket and placed it in Amy's outstretched hand.  
  
"Never could resist a keep out sign," she drawled. "What's through here? What's so scary about a hole?"  
  
"We don't know. Nobody talks about it."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Below."  
  
"And because you're not supposed to you don't?" She clicked her tongue. "Watch and learn, little girl."  
  
You looked back at Mandy. "Well whatever it is it must be horrible. Want to know why I say that? Because, a girl your age, sees three strangers following her and first thing she does is call them out."  
Mandy swallowed thickly and glanced at the booth.  
  
"Whatever is under here, Mandy, we need to know. We're the only ones who can fix this."  
  
"How did you get here?" Mandy asked completely deviated from the conversation.  
  
Amy answered. "Oh, you know, a guy."  
  
"Your boyfriend?"  
  
Amy snorted, "More like Little Miss Detective's boyfriend."  
  
 You flushed. "He's not my-"  
  
Amy interrupted you with a look that meant she had seen much more than you knew. You didn't like that look.  
  
You sighed and rubbed your forehead. "Okay, yeah, he's my boyfriend. But it's complicated and you wouldn't understand."  
  
"Oh please." Amy exclaimed. "Said every girl ever."   
  
Before you could get a word in edgewise the lock clicked open.  
"Still got it." Amy whispered.  
  
"Nice work." Removing the lock you tossed it to the side and lifted the tarp. You looked back at Mandy.  
  
"Are you coming?"  
  
"No!" She stepped away further and looked back at the booth.  
  
"Suit yourself." Amy called out.  
  
 With that the two you went beneath the worker's hut.  
  
You squinted your eyes at the sudden darkness. You could barely see a thing. You grimaced when you heard a gross squelching sound.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
Amy bent down and cranked the lever to a big flashlight. After two cranks it shone on whatever was in front of the two of you. "Let there be light." She declared and gained the light on a red structure.  
  
"Hold on," you said. "Is that... moving?"  
  
"What... what is that?" Amy brought the light up higher.  
  
The red structure bent down revealing an enormous strong like a scorpion. It lashed out towards you and Amy making the two of you fall back on your butts.  
  
As it kept stabbing the sting in both of your directions the two of you crawled backwards out of the tent quickly.   
  
Your breath caught in your throat at the sight of several men in dark cloaks surrounding you both. One of the men lifted his fist to your face. Before you could respond sweet smelling gas rushed in your lungs and you lost consciousness.


	4. The Impossible Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up in a voting cubicle and you're forced to make an impossible choice.

You opened your eyes blearily.  
  
Your eyes wandered around the room as your vision swam. Everything looked grey. Everything except that red blurry... thing. What was that?   
  
Sitting up in your chair,-because apparently you were sitting but didn't even remember doing so- you squinted your eyes.   
  
Finally your vision cleared and you saw the smiling mannequin in the booth. You jerked away violently, nearly toppling onto the floor.   
  
Before you could connect to the ground you grabbed the ledge of a desk next to you.   
  
**"Welcome to voting cubicle 324-A. Please leave this installation as you wish to find it. The United Kingdom recognizes the right to know of all citizens. A presentation concerning the history of Starship UK will begin shortly."**   
  
You swallowed thickly as your eyes scanned the room. There were no visible exits and with the mannequin keeping watch, you doubted you would be able to leave anyway.   
  
The recording said it would tell you the history of the Starship UK. There must be something useful enough to help you figure out its secrets and put an end this garish nightmare of a country.   
  
You sat back down in the seat, leaning forwards towards the screens.   
  
**"Your identity is being verified on our electoral roll,**  
  
"_______  _______ _______. Age, thirteen hundred and eight."   
  
You couldn't help the smirk that blossomed on your face. You were surprised the computer didn't have a breakdown processing information that old.   
  
**"Marital Status:..."**   
  
You raised an eyebrow.   
  
**"Unknown"**   
  
"Psht. Figures."   
  
As you adjusted yourself on the seat a video began playing of a man with a white beard and wire-framed glasses.   
  
**"You are here because you want to know the truth about this starship, and I am talking to you because you're entitled to know.**  
  
"When this presentation has finished, you will have a choice. You may either protest, or forget. If you choose to protest, understand this, if just one percent of the population of this ship do likewise, the programme will discontinue with consequences for you all."   
  
Your eyes widened. They let people make such a pivotal decision? Just the thought scared you. If this ship had run for so long, then the consequences must have been scarier than the way people were living now.   
  
**"If you choose to accept the situation, and we hope that you will, then press the Forget button."**   
  
Your eyes swept over the three buttons. Could such a decision be that simple?   
  
**"All the information I'm about to give you will be erased from your memory. You will continue to enjoy the safety and amenities of the Starship UK, unburdened by the knowledge of what has been done to save you. Here then, is the truth about the Starship UK, and the price that has been paid for the safety of the British people. May God have mercy on our souls."**   
  
...   
  
Your breathing was ragged. Your heart hammered in your chest like you had just run a 10k marathon. Tears streamed down your face and dripped onto your shirt.   
  
With a shuddered gasp your eyes landed on your hand which pressed down painfully onto the forget button. You squeezed your eyes shut, suppressing a sob fighting to escape your throat. How could you have done that? What could possibly have been so terrible that you had chosen to forget?   
  
As you wiped the tears and makeup from your face, a video began playing.   
  
It was a recording of you.   
  
You, the you in the video, sniffled, not even bothering to wipe the cascading tears rolling down your face.   
  
**" Before you do anything... this isn't a trick." You let in a shaky breath. "You have to stop Amy. She's new and she won't understand what the right thing to do is. Don't let her stop what has to happen. She needs to understand. Just--"**  
  
Your recording pressed a hand to her mouth. **"Do what you have to do to make things right. Even if it means the Doctor can never look at you the same ever again."**   
  
As the screen went black the wall to your left swung open. Outside stood Mandy with a troubled expression on her face. Her eyes searched yours as she clutched the strap to her messenger bag tightly.   
  
"You pressed forget?"   
  
You lowered your gaze as you stepped out. Ruffling her hair with your hand, you answered. "Yeah."   
  
She took your hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's alright," she comforted. "Everyone does."   
  
You looked up ahead. There were more doors like the one you just went through. They must be other voting cubicles.   
  
"______!" You stiffened at the sound of the Doctor's voice.   
  
_'Do what you have to do to make things right. Even if it means the Doctor can never look at you the same again.'_   
  
The Doctor took your other hand and pressed a chaste kiss to your cheek.   
  
"Are you alright, I see you found Mandy."   
  
"Yeah, I uh, I found something else too." You cocked your head at the open room beside you. "It's a voting cubicle. Erased my memory once it was over."   
  
The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows and went into the room. Taking his screwdriver out, he did a quick sweep of the room and peered into the glowy bit.   
  
"It's your basic memory wipe job. Whatever it was you watched, it was roughly twenty minutes."   
  
You pursed your lips and looked at him hopefully. "Can you undo it? Telepathically, I mean."   
  
The Doctor set his jaw in that funny sideways manner it did nowadays as he considered it.   
  
He set his hands upon your shoulders."I can," he said. "But whatever it was, you wanted to forget it." His hands slid down your arms and latched onto your fingers soothingly. "I can't violate the right you have to your mind. You chose to forget for a reason. A very good one, and I don't want you to be haunted by something you wished to forget."   
  
You nodded reluctantly. You should have expected that kind of answer.   
  
"Where's Amy?" The Doctor looked at you for an answer.   
  
Before you could, however, Mandy answered.   
  
"She's in Voting Cubicle 330-C. I'll take you."   
  
With a nod, the Doctor gave your hands a final squeeze and followed Mandy.   
  
Your eyes drifted over to the booth. The mannequin frowned at you. Your heart nearly jumped out your chest. Turning back ahead, you rushed to catch up with Mandy and the Doctor.   
  
'Do what you have to do to make things right.'   
  
\-----------   
  
The door to Voting Cubicle 330-A swung open once the Doctor soniced it. At the sight of the Doctor, Amy wiped off the tears from her face.   
  
The recording on the screen began replaying.   
  
**"Listen to me. This isn't a trick. This is for real. You've got to--"**   
  
Amy quickly pressed a button to turn off the screen. At this the Doctor quirked an eyebrow but made no mention to it.   
  
"I pressed forget." Amy sniffled as she smoothed out  her skirt and straightened her sweatered.   
  
"Everyone does." Mandy reiterated what she said earlier.   
  
The Doctor whipped around.  "Did you?"   
  
Mandy looked at him like he was a nutter. "I'm not eligible to vote I'm twelve. Everyone votes once they're sixteen. And then once every five years."   
  
"Every five years everyone chooses to forget, eh?" He grinned. "Democracy in action."   
  
"How do none of you know this?" Mandy asked.   
  
"We’re not from here," Amy answered dismissively.   
  
"You sound Scottish."   
  
Amy propped a hand on her hip. "I am Scottish. Got a problem with that?"   
  
Mandy shook her head. "No, I guess it makes sense. Scotland has its own ship."   
  
Amy hummed in satisfaction. "Good for them. Nothing's changed."   
  
Mandy directed her attention to you and the Doctor now. "What 'bout you two? You don't sound Scottish."   
  
The Doctor chuckled as he fiddled with the screen. "Oh, I'm worse than Scottish. Whatever this showed you girls it won't play for me. It doesn't accept me as human.”   
  
You came up beside him. "Makes sense, it said the British people had the right to know. And well, you're not exactly British."   
  
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "What makes you think I don't have British citizenship?"   
  
"Wha-- Really?"   
  
"I married the bleeding Queen of England. You think any immigrant can do that?"   
  
"Oi, watch it, chinny." You snapped back. "You know full well I kept my distance those three months."   
  
"She said you could--"   
  
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Amy hollered. "Hold up! Rewind!" She held her hands up. "What do you mean it won't accept you as human? You look human."   
  
"No, you lot look Time Lord," he sniffed and turned back to the screen. "We came first."   
  
Amy looked at you, mouth agape. "I thought you two were joking last night!"   
  
You stifled a chuckle. "You really thought a _human_ could have a space travelling time machine. The universe would've ended by now."   
  
The Doctor pointed at you in approval as he looked over to Amy, further emphasizing your point.   
  
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "So you're dating an alien. Aren't there, like, laws against that?"   
  
You felt heat prickle up your neck. She just had to bring that up. You ignored the Doctor's stare entirely and raked your fingers through your hair. Note to self, you thought, don't tell Amy anything.   
  
"Wait. Hold on." Amy frowned. "You said " _we_ ". So there are other Time Lords, yeah?"   
  
You lowered your gaze when you saw the Doctor's posture stiffen.   
  
"No. There were, but there aren't... Just me now." You took the Doctor's hand slightly and have it a squeeze. "Long story. There was a bad day. Bad stuff happened. And you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever."   
  
Releasing your hand, the Doctor braced himself against the desk.   
  
"Because this is what I do, every time, every day, every second. This. Hold tight. We're bringing down the government!"   
  
As the Doctor slammed the protest button you looked at the mannequin and saw as its frowning face turned around to reveal a horrifying red-eyed face scowling at the three of you.   
  
The exit slammed shut and the floor beneath the three of you opened up. The Doctor took yours and Amy's hand and pulled you to the nearest corner. As the floor receded farther and farther, the Doctor grinned madly and called out to the two of you.   
  
"Say whee!"   
  
As you and Amy met gazes the two of you screamed as the ground disappeared beneath the three of you.   
  
  



	5. Trust the Pilot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you all plummeted down a red tube your hands unlinked, causing the three of you to tumble the way down. As your descent finally ended, the three if you fell in a slush of food and garbage.
> 
>  
> 
> You had the misfortune of falling face first. Nearly gagging, you lifted yourself from the fermented debris and groaned. You had just washed these clothes two nights ago!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you might have noticed that it's no longer going to be six chapters. There was just too much interaction b/w the characters and the reader for me to make it only six. And I definitely did not want to cut out what I had planned. So look forward to several extra chapters~! 
> 
> Also here comes the angst. :)

 

As you all plummeted down a red tube your hands unlinked, causing the three of you to tumble the way down. As your descent finally ended, the three if you fell in a slush of food and garbage.

 

You had the misfortune of falling face first. Nearly gagging, you lifted yourself from the fermented debris and groaned. You had just washed these clothes two nights ago.

 

Your hand went up to rake your fingers through your hair, when you felt that it too was covered in whatever food you had landed on.

 

"Argh!" The Doctor jumped up from where he had landed and stretched. You grimaced when you heard a couple of bones pop in place. "High speed air canon. Lousy way to travel."

 

You slicked your hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of your face and scoffed. 'You're telling me."

 

Amy wrinkled her nose in disgust as she peeled her sweater off  of her and tied the sleeves around her waist. "Where are we?"

 

The Doctor muttered something under his breath as he counted off on his fingers. "Six hundred feet down, twenty miles laterally, puts us at the heart of the ship. I'd say Lancashire."

 

The Doctor turned on the spot as he peered at the ceiling of wherever you all were. "So what is this a cave? No, can't be a cave. Looks like a cave, though."

 

Amy kicked a moldy banana peel off her boots. "It's a rubbish dump, and it's minging!"

 

"Yes, but look, there's only food refuse." The Doctor gestured at a half eaten turkey leg. Or, at least, you thought it was turkey... could be mutton. "Organic, coming through the feed tubes from all over the ship."

 

You covered your nose. "Yeah, well whatever this place is, it smells like burp."

 

Amy bounced on the balls of her feet. "And the floors all squishy, like a water bed."

 

The Doctor seemed to ignore Amy as he looked towards the feeding tubes and muttered to himself.

 

Prodding the  floor with your foot, you frowned. "It feels more rubbery, actually."

 

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "But wet and slimy."

 

Out of nowhere you heard a growl. No, not a growl. It was like a grunt crossed with that retching noise you make before hurling. But coming from a grizzly. A huge grizzly.

 

The Doctor blanched and moved his arms around nervously as he glanced between you and Amy.

 

"Er... It's not a floor. It's, ehm. Oh dear "

 

You exchanged a glance with Amy. This didn't sound too good.

 

"It's what, Doctor?" She shuffled forward.

 

"The next word is a scary word. You'll probably want to take a moment, get yourself in a nice calm place."

 

You only got more nervous as he said this. "Doctor."

 

He kept talking. "Take a deep breath go omm. Omm." He nodded and came up behind the two of you, placing a hand on either of you two's shoulder.

 

"Say ommm, ______."

 

"Ommm?" You shook your head. "Ugh. Doctor just tell us where we are, already. We can handle it."

 

"It's a tongue."

 

Beat.

 

"A tongue?"

 

"A tongue," he repeated and waved his arms. "A great big tongue."

 

Amy's eyes widened and she shuffled on her feet. "So this... We're in a mouth." Amy nodded and worried her lip. "This whole place is a mouth." She stated loudly as her eyes flitted to and fro. "We're in a mouth!"

 

"Yes, yes." The Doctor placed his hands on her shoulders. "But on the bright side, roomy."

 

You turned your head up and saw just how "roomy" this was. You couldn't even see the roof of it's mouth. "How big is this thing..."

 

Taking out his screwdriver and walking about, the Doctor marveled as he saw the uvula a good mile away. "How big is this Beastie? It's gorgeous. Blimey! If this is just a mouth I'd love to see the stomach!"

 

Another animalistic grunt.

 

"Though not right now."

 

"Doctor," Amy huffed. "How do we get out?"

 

You nodded.  "Yeah, I'd rather not be this thing's lunch."

 

The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Right. Yes." Switching the screwdriver back on, he paced in a circle. "Okay, it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so... that means the main entrance is... closed for business."

 

The three of you stood agape at the sight of its massive teeth. You couldn't believe you hadn't noticed before.

 

Amy rushed forward. "It's still worth a shot."

 

As her foot caught on what you assumed must have been an enormous taste bud, the animal grunted with discomfort.

 

"No, stop, don't move!" The Doctor grabbed Amy's before she fell. The tongue began shaking as if an earthquake hit. "Too late. It's started."

 

You yelped as you fell backwards. "What?! What's started?!"

 

The Doctor swam through the food when he fell. Adjusting the setting in his screwdriver he pointed upwards. "The swallow reflex! I have to vibrate the chemo-receptors!"

 

Amy spat what looked like an apple core as she lifted herself from the slush. "The chemo-what?!"

 

"The eject button!"

 

Amy scrambled onto her feet, lending you a hand as well. "How does the mouth have an eject button?!"

 

"Think about it!"

 

You cursed. You didn't have to.

 

With a sickening gag, you watched in disgust as a tidal wave of vomit rushed towards the three of you.

 

The Doctor then nodded at the two of you as he adjusted his bow-tie. "Right then, this isn't going to be big on dignity. Geronimo!"

 

\-----------

 

You opened your eyes to the Doctor prodding his fingers against your face. You grunted as you felt him press on a tender spot near your temple. You must have gotten bruised while you were surfing sick.

 

The Doctor's posture visibly relaxed at the sight of you awake. Taking out his screwdriver, he flashed the light in your eyes before humming in satisfaction. "No sign of concussion and nothing broken. Just some bruising, but nothing too serious."

 

You sighed, rubbing the heel of your hand against your eyes. "Anything else?"

 

"Yes, actually." He helped you up and patted you down as if you needed a good dusting. "You're covered in sick."

 

You grimaced. "Eh, 've been covered in worse."

 

The Doctor grinned and bent down next to Amy, repeating the same routine he did you. Lucky for her, she didn't sustain any injuries. She only had the misfortune of getting her brand new clothes completely covered in barf.

 

Your eyes wandered a bit. "Where are we?"

 

"Overspill pipe." The Doctor eyes the wall to your far right. "Well, hello there."

 

Walking over the Doctor examined the wall and pressed his ear against whilst tapping the wall experimentally. He pulled away and eyed something you couldn't see curiously.

 

"Is it another button?" You walked over cautiously.

 

"Yep."

 

"You're going to press it, aren't you?" You groaned in defeat.

 

"Nope. It's a forget button."

 

"Oh, good. Well, not good. Just glad you're not as fascinated by buttons like you used to be." You leaned next to the button and regarded the Doctor. "You'd press any big red button you could get your hands on."

 

"Oh, no. No big red buttons for me anymore." He replied. "Just glowing ones that tell me what to do."

 

"Where are we?"

 

Your attention snapped back to Amy as she leaned against her elbows and looked around the pipe.

 

Rushing over to help her up you explained the situation, to which she complained. Particularly about her new clothes getting barfed on.

 

"Can we get out?"

 

The Doctor frowned at the offending Forget button. "One door, one door switch, one condition. We forget everything we saw." He glanced between the both of you, his eyes unreadable. "Look familiar?"

 

Amy lowered her gaze. You looked back at the Doctor.

 

"And if we don't?"

 

" That's the carrot." A light turned on behind the three of you, revealing two more booths with smiling mannequins. The Doctor smirked. "Ooh, there's the stick."

 

A shiver went up your spine. You hadn't even been on the ship for long and you already thought those things were creepy. Then again, you didn't travel that long with the Doctor when you realized that most of the scariest things the two of you would encounter were clockwork machines.

 

The Doctor didn't hesitate to walk up and confront them.

 

"There's a creature living at the heart of this ship. What's it doing here?"

 

Their faces turned to reveal a frown.

 

"No, that's not going to work on me, so come on. Big old beast below deck, and everyone who protests gets shoved down it's throat. That how it works?"

 

Their heads turned once more, revealing the demonic scowling faces you had seen earlier.

 

The Doctor merely scoffed. "Oh, stop it! I'm not leaving, and I'm not forgetting, and what are you fellows going to do about it? Stick out your tongues, huh?"

 

They didn't. Instead, much to your horror, the booths opened and the mannequins stood up.

 

The Doctor swallowed. "Well that's..."

 

You socked his shoulder. "You had to bloody insult them!"

 

Before the Doctor could answer, a cloaked figure pushed between the three of you and shot down the machines with only a few shots.

 

You flinched as they slumped forwards onto the ground.

 

"Look who it is." The Doctor grinned. " You look a lot better without your mask."

 

The unnamed woman turned around with a smirk and holstered her guns. She was dark skinned with amazing brown curly hair. With the black clothes, the read cloak, and the antique mask hanging from the loop of her belt, she looked she had jumped out of a Steam punk cosplay convention.

 

She acknowledged you and Amy. "You two must be ______ and Amy. Liz, Liz 10."

 

Amy held out her hand in a daze. Liz took it readily but you could till she instantly regretted it. "Yuck." She flicked the barf off her hand. "Lovely hair, Amy. Shame 'bout the... sick."

 

Walking past the three of you, Liz went over to the door and gently waved someone in. She took Mandy's hand and stood her in front of the three of you. "I'm sure you've all met Mandy. She's very brave."

 

Mandy sent you a sheepish smile to which you smiled in return. You could tell she was rattled by everything she had seen today.

 

You regarded Liz 10. She didn't seem scared at all. 'Course, she wasn't a preteen, but you'd expect she'd be at least a bit shaken. It couldn't be easy finding out that you were living in some twisted dystopia.

 

"Wait." Your brow furrowed. "How did you even find us?"

 

Liz smiled smugly. "Stuck my gizmo on your boyfriend, here. 've been listening in." She brought her attention back to the Doctor. "Nice moves on the hurl escape by the way. So, what's the big fella doing here?"

 

He quirked an eyebrow. "You're over sixteen, you've voted." He gestured around with his finger. "Whatever this is, you've chosen to forget."

 

Liz shook her head. "No. Never forgot, never voted, not technically a British subject."

 

You chimed in. "So, what, are you off the grid or?"

 

She chuckled. "Oh,no. Definitely not."

 

The Doctor's jaw tensed. He leaned in slightly and menacingly. "Then who and what are you, and how do you know me?"

 

Liz smirked. "You're pretty hard to miss, love. Mysterious stranger, MO consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot."

 

The Doctor cleared his throat as he raked his fingers through his hair self-consciously.

 

"I've been brought up on the stories. My whole family has."

 

"Your family."

 

As you observed their exchange you couldn't help but mirror Liz's wistful smile.

 

Most women would be angry if they saw another woman looking at their significant other like that. Instead you felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest.

 

You could just imagine a curly mop of brown hair bundled beneath the covers of her bed. Her eyes full of wonder as she listened to her mother reciting stories that had been passed down through the generations. You wondered if that was how she knew you and Amy.

 

"They're repairing."

 

Your attention snapped back to the mannequins. You felt  your stomach tie into knots  at the sight of them jerking and struggling to stand up.

 

"Doesn't take them long. Let's move."

 

The four of your followed Liz 10 as she guided you out of the overspill pipe and into a room that sort of looked like an engine room crossed with a basement. Liz continued talking as you navigated through the room.

 

"The Doctor. Old drinking buddy of Henry Twelve. Tea and scones with Liz Two. Vicky was a bit on the fence about you, weren't she? Knighted and exiled on the same day. And so much for the Virgin Queen, you bad, bad boy."

 

You rolled your eyes, you'd rather _not_ be reminded of her. Even though she was her nicest to you those three months, she made it her goal for you to remember _she_ was married to the Doctor and required all of his attention. Not you.

 

Avoiding your gaze the Doctor hit the heel of his palm against his forehead. "Liz 10!"

 

Without looking back Liz nodded. "Liz 10, yeah. Elizabeth the Tenth." Suddenly turning around with her guns in hand she shouted. "And down!"

 

All four of you ducked out the way quickly as she shot behind you all. You looked behind you and saw the mannequins fall down once more.

 

Holding her guns up, Liz looked down at you four. "I'm the bloody queen, mate. Basically, I rule."

 

Amy smirked. "I like her."

 

You nodded in agreement with a grin.

 

The five of you continued to navigate through several rooms as Liz spoke again.

 

"There's a high speed Vator through here."

 

As you all heard banging Liz paused before walking over to a barred off section.

 

"Oh, yeah. There's these things." She looked towards the Doctor curiously. " Any ideas?"

 

The four of you watched as tentacles, exactly like the one you and Amy had encountered, beat against the bars and writhed. The Doctor's eyes widened as he held onto the bars and leaned in.

 

Amy swallowed thickly. "Doctor we saw one of these up top. There was a hole in the road, it had burst through like..."

 

You finished Amy's sentence. "Like a root."  
 

The Doctor glanced at the two of you before looking back at the creatures. He craned his neck up farther to see where they were headed. 'Exactly like a root. t's all one creature, the same one we were inside, reaching out. It must be growing through the mechanisms of the entire ship."  
 

The queen's eyes widened. "Like an infestation.

 

He nodded and she scowled.

 

"Someone's helping it. Feeding it." She stormed off, Mandy following meekly behind. "Feeding my subjects to it! Come on! Got to keep moving!"

 

The Doctor remained where he stood, as did you and Amy.  
 

With pursed lips and a furrowed brow, Amy watched the Doctor. His eyes were distant, most likely calculating every outcome from this point forward. It unnerved you. Lord knows what it did to Amy.

 

"Doctor?"

 

"Oh, Amy." He turned to look at her, then back to the tentacles lashing towards him. "We should never have come here."

 

With a final glance at the creature, he walked off after Mandy and Liz 10.

 

Amy stayed rooted to her spot. Her eyes were far away, almost like the Doctor's had been.

 

You grabbed her arm gently. There was something you had been meaning to ask her since you voted.

 

"Amy. I need to ask you something." She didn't respond. "It's important."

 

Blinking rapidly she looked at you. "Huh? What is it?"

 

You worried your lip. There was no easy way to ask something so private. "Back in the voting cubicle, what did your recording say?"

 

She watched you warily. You could see the conflict in her eyes. She was deciding whether or not she trusted you enough to confide in you. Knowing how long you had known her, you would have expected she would. But then, after being absent in her life for so long, you had no right to expect that much from her.

 

Finally she spoke.

 

"Only if you tell me first."

 

You conceded. " I guess that's fair."

 

You rubbed the back of your neck nervously. You would have to admit a couple of things.

 

"I told myself to do whatever it takes to make things right. Even if that means the Doctor may never look at me the same again."

 

Amy gaped at you. "Wow, that's-- would you?"

 

You frowned. "I don't know." You crossed your arms. "I used to love not knowing. But now..."

 

You shook your head. "What about you? What did you say?"

 

Amy turned her eyes towards the ground. "Not to let the Doctor investigate and get the two of you off this ship." She looked back at you. "What do you think?"

 

You chuckled bitterly. "You're joking, right? We can't leave. This place needs the Doctor. It's Hell!"

 

"But whatever I saw-- whatever we saw. If it was bad enough for us to want to forget it, how could we be stupid enough to walk straight into it?"

 

"Because its the right thing. Mandy is growing up in hell. Could you really leave with that weighing on your conscience?"

 

"... Why should I listen to you?"

 

You raised an eyebrow. "Because, I know how this works. We go somewhere, if it's cool we have fun if it's not the Doctor fixes it. And this place is not cool." You sighed when Amy rolled her eyes.

 

Pinching the bridge of your nose you shut your eyes. “Just-- just trust the Doctor. Rule number one of being with him is trusting the pilot.”

 

"______, Amy!" The two of you flinched and turned to look at the Doctor. His jaw was set in that funny little sideways manner as he peered out the doors of the Vator Liz had referred to. "We have to go."

 

"Coming!" You two answered. The two of you exchanged  glance. Your conversation wasn't over, but the two of you could stand a break and recollect your thoughts.

 

Amy walked past you and the Doctor into the Vator wordlessly. You couldn't help but feel guilty. It wasn't your intention to get her angry. You just wanted her to see reason, to understand why you and the Doctor did these kinds of things.

 

The Doctor picked up on your sour mood. He grabbed your hand gently as the Vator doors closed.

 

"Are you two alright?" His green eyes bore into yours.

 

You could feel Amy's eyes on you as well, but you refused to break contact with the Doctor.

 

"We're fine."

 

He didn't like that answer. Once upon a time when he was rude and not ginger, that phrase specifically meant he was very not fine. Hearing it from you, who knew this very well, worried him.

 

"We just had a bit of a disagreement. Don't worry." You smiled the most convincing smile you could muster, and though the Doctor didn't like it, he decided not to push.

 

Relieved that the Doctor had dropped the subject, you directed your attention to Liz.

 

"Where are we going?"

 

"My castle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for all the tension and all the angst~


	6. Private Chambers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rows in royal hallways.

 

After what felt like one of the most stressful days of your life, you finally let yourself relax the moment the five of you entered Liz's private room.

 

"There's a shower down there, you're free to clean ya'selves up and put your clothes to wash."

 

Without hesitating Amy headed towards the bath. "I call first shower!"

 

Mandy giggled, which made you smile in turn. The tension you had been feeling earlier had definitely lessened now that you all felt relatively safe.

 

The Doctor wasted no time in asking Liz questions about the kingdom and her rule. In the half hour Amy had been in the shower, you had learned the name of those mannequins, Smilers, how long Liz had been ruling, and the name of those jerks that gassed you a couple hours ago, Winders. 

 

Amy came into the room, clothes clean and dry as she patted her ginger hair with towel. 

 

"Shower's free. And love the shampoo."

 

Liz smirked. "Ta." 

 

You cocked your head at the Doctor. "'re you going next or should I?"

 

"Go ahead." He nodded.

 

As you went over to the en suite, you caught the exchange between Liz and Amy and couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. Seemed as though everyone was shipping you with the Doctor. But then it you shouldn't have been surprised. A lot of people thought you and the Doctor were married in his past regeneration with the way you'd two look at each other.

 

_Even if it means the Doctor can never look at you the same again._

You braced yourself against the batbroom's counter. How is it that even when your mind was erased, memories haunted you?

 

You looked up at your reflection. 

 

Your hair was a matted mess of wet food and bile. The darkest circles clung beneath your lids. Lines were already forming between your eyebrows where they creased. You were so tired.

 

 Three years.

 

Three years of beauty and horror and adventure and destruction.

 

 You had grown a lot since you first stepped foot in the TARDIS. You've grown wiser and braver. 

 

You changed so much.

 

 You always wondered why people feared changed, feared progress. But as you stared at your naked reflection and evaluated your day, you understood that you didn't want to fear change. Change was necessary. It was vital to survival.

 

And with that thought, you turned the knob on the shower and stepped beneath the warm water.

 

You sighed as the water weaved through your hair and down onto your cold skin. 

 

After standing beneath the shower head for a couple minutes you grabbed the shampoo Amy had mentioned, jasmine scented apparently, and began lathering it in your hair.

 

 

Once you were done with your shower and your clothes finished drying on the automated dryer below the sink, you slipped back into your clothes and patted your hair dry to the best of your ability.

 

You looked at you reflection now, shrouded in mist. Wiping the mist away, you were met with the same (e/c) wise eyes and dark circles. Different but familiar.

 

_Just like the Doctor..._

 

Taking a deep breath, you exited the shower and were greeted by the Doctor leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

 

_Speak of the devil..._

 

"What worries me most is that you pretend everything is perfectly fine when it isn't."

 

You shut the door behind you and slung your towel behind your neck so that it draped in front of your shoulders.

 

"It’s not important.”

 

“Don’t-- don't lie to me, _____.”

 

You lifted your hand up in exasperation. “I don't see what the big deal is. Everyone is entitled to a private conversation!” _Why can’t he just drop it?_  


 

“Not when you're withholding information that could save the lives of these people.”

 

“What information?! They wiped my memory!” You shouted, not even caring if the girls could hear you two in the other room.

 

“The recording, ______.”

 

“You want to know what’s on the bloody recording? You really want to know?!”

 

 Every instinct told you to keep your mouth shut, to tell the Doctor what was really going on between you and Amy. But today, today seemed specifically designed to grate each and every one of your nerves and send you over the edge. You were kidnapped, scared to the point to tears, had your memories erased, got swallowed and thrown up by an animal, chased by smilers, and had a fight with a grown up eight year old. You were not about to take an interrogation in another person’s house, much less the Queen’s house.

 

“It was a recording of me suffering! I was sobbing because whatever they made me see, whatever they zapped into my brain was so horrible that I’d rather them rip them out than protest it. That's what's on the bloody recording!” 

 

The Doctor’s face was unreadable. It angered you. That face. Ever since he changed his face you had been jumping over hurdles in order to accept it. 

 

But now, seeing the utter lack of emotion, you couldn't take it anymore.

 

 You stormed past him and back into Liz’s private chambers.

 

They were speaking quietly on Liz’s bed. Mandy sat at the foot of the bed, her knees pulled up to her chest. They stopped talking once they saw you come in.

 

You swallowed thickly. So they definitely did hear your row with the Doctor. How could they not?

 

You turned towards Liz 10 and bowed. “Forgive me your majesty. I didn't mean for you to hear that.”

 

She shook her head. “S’okay, love. You're practically family.”

 

You decided not to ask. What she said made sense. After all the Doctor had married Elizabeth the I and unfortunately you were titled as his mistress. So technically you were somewhat related to her.

 

Amy clenched and unclenched her hands. “I’m sorry.”

 

Guilt crashed over you like a tidal wave. She thought that  _she_ was the reason you and the Doctor faught.

 

“It’s not your fault, Amy.”

 

“Why all the glasses?” The Doctor walked past you and crouched in front of several dozen glasses filled with water.

 

 Liz scowled at the Doctor, but answered his question.

 

“To remind me every single day that my government is up to something, and it's my duty to figure out what.”

 

The Doctor lifted her mask from her bed and observed its dips and curves and either side.

 

“A queen going undercover to investigate her own kingdom.”

 

Liz leaned forward off her bed. “Secrets are being kept from me! I have no choice.” She shook her head. “Ten years I’ve been at this. My entire reign.” She chuckled humorously. “And you lot have achieved more in one afternoon.”

 

You rubbed your neck. “Well, I guess it helps being an actual subject. You wouldn't have been swallowed and figured out there was an animal riding on the ship."

 

The Doctor cut in.  You sent him a pointed look that he completely ignored."How old did you say you were again when you came to the throne?"

 

With a smug smrk Liz answered. "Forty. Why?"

 

Amy gasped. "What, you're fifty? No way."

 

The queen shrugged. "Yeah, they slowed down my body clock. Keeps me looking like the stamps."

 

 The Doctor sat down at the food of Liz's bed beside Amy and held up her mask. "And you always wear this in public?"

 

Your brow furrowed. What did her mask have to do with her body clock? There must be something you were missing.

 

"Undercover's not easy when you're me!" She leaned back against her pillow with crosses arms. "The autographs, the bunting."

 

The Doctor's eyes stared at the mask intensely. "Air-balanced porcelain. Stays on itself because..." He held the mask beside her dace as realization dawned in his. "...it's perfectly sculpted to your face."

 

Liz frowned. "Yeah? So what?"

 

The Doctor replied. "Oh, Liz. So everything."

 

You glanced between Liz and the mask. It was staring you right in the face. Whatever the Doctor discovered, you were completely and absolutely oblivious to it.

 

Before you could contemplate any further, the door in front of you slammed open against the wall. In came several men in black cloaks. One of them stepped forward, his eyes sweeping over the five of you before finally resting on Liz 10.

 

Liz had already sprung off her bed and walked to the front of you all, her eyes flashing dangerously.

 

"What are you doing? How dare you come in here!?"

 

The Winder ignored her question and spoke deeply and evenly.

 

"Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of the Starship UK. You will come with us now."

 

Liz scoffed. "Why would I do that?"

 

His head turned in a 180 on his shoulders, revealing a pale faced Scowler. You felt you heart jump in your throat.

 

Amy's voice wavered. "How can they be Smilers?"

 

"Half Smilers, half human," he explained.

 

You grimaced. "That's horrible."

 

Liz sneered. "Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen. On whose authority is this done?"

 

The human face answered from behind the hood. "The highest authority, Ma'am."

 

She lifted her chin up and looked down at him despite the fact that he was taller. "I am the highest authority."

 

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied. "Yoiu must go now Ma'am."

 

She glancd at the other Winders. "Where?"

 

"The Tower, Ma'am."


	7. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long wires.  
> Lines of children  
> Pink blobs  
> Beams of light  
> Never ending screaming

You all entered into the Tower. Massive wires and computers were set up around the huge room. A line of children came in through another door, heads low and eyes empty.   
  
BANG. BANG.BANG.    
  
You and Amy flinched and looked down at the floor through a grating. A red tentacle banged against it,struggling to break free.   
  
Amy looked to the Doctor "Doctor, where are we?"   
  
"The lowest point of Starship UK. The dungeon."   
  
Your eyes scanned the room once more. You could believe it was a dungeon if it weren't for all the high tech machines and-- what was that?    
  
You watched as a beam of light shot down from the ceiling.   
  
A man in a black robe came out from behind a computer and bowed towards the Queen.   
  
"Ma'am."   
  
Liz raised her eyebrows in surprise."Hawthorne. So this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do."   
  
The Doctor ruffled a kid's hair as the line of children crossed in front of him. "There's children down here. What's that all about?"   
  
"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast. For some reason, it won't eat the children." He nodded towards at you, the Doctor, and Amy. "You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky."   
  
You snorted, as did the Doctor.   
  
"Yeah, look at us. Torture chamber at the Tower of London." He sneered at Hawthorne. "Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it? Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle."   
  
He pointed at the beam of energy and followed it down to an exposed mass of pink. You felt a chill go up your spine. It looked a lot like a brain.   
  
Liz came up beside him. "What's that?"   
  
"Well, like I say, depends on the angle." He leaned against the rail and gestured towards the pink mass.    
  
You stood behind him and watched as the mass twitched when another beam of light struck it.   
  
He continued. "It's either the exposed pain center of the big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly..."    
  
You flinched now as another beam of light struck the brain.   
  
Liz quirked an eyebrow. "Or?"   
  
The Doctor's jaw clenched slightly before he continued. He hated when people missed the point, and right now as you observed him from the corner of your eye, you could tell it was a really big point.   
  
"Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator - Starship UK's go faster button."   
  
Liz shook her head. "I don't understand."   
  
He pushed himself off the  railing. "Don't you? Try to, go on. The spaceship that could never fly, no vibrations on deck. This creature--" His voice cracked, and your heart ached.    
  
Another beam of energy struck.   
  
"This poor, trapped, terrified creature." His voice rose with every word. "It's not infesting you, it's not invading, it's what you have instead of an engine." he gestured to the whole room. "And te is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, to keep it moving.”

You all watched as he intermittent beam shot into the bran. The Doctor fidgeted and his jaw clenched tighter.

“Tell you what.” He reached into his jacket and took our his screwdriver.

He adjusted the setting as he ran over to one of the nearby gratings. He pulled it open and watched as a tentacle came out.

You rushed towards him. “Doctor, what are you doing?!”

He held his hand up to stop you and you did so reluctantly.

“Normally, it’s above the range of human hearing.” He pointed his screwdriver at the tentacle. “This is the sound none you wanted to hear.”

As he turned on his sonic, the room was filled with the unearthly wails and screeching of the creature. Tear welled up in your eyes as the animal’s tentacle thrashed and squirmed with every beam of energy that shout into it’s brain. How could it endure so much pain?How long did it suffer this torture? How much longer would it have lasted if the three of you had never came here? How much longer could it live like this?

“Stop it.” Liz commanded and the Doctor switched off his sonic. The tentacle slid back into the hole.

She glared at Hawthorne. “Who did this?”

He bowed his head slightly to regard her. “We act on instructions from the highest authority.”

Her eyes flashed dangerously at him. “ _ I  _ am the highest authority. The creature is to be released, now.”

Not one of her subjects moved from their spot.

“ _ I said now!”  _ Her voice boomed throughout the room. But even then, none of the men moved.

You looked at the Doctor but he avoided your gaze entirely. The storm was brewing within him. You looked to Amy and she looked back at you. Something was wrong, besides the torture.

“Is anyone listening to me?!”

The Doctor lifted his gaze and looked her in the eye “Liz, your mask.”

She glanced down at it on her belt. “What about my mask?”

He grabbed it off her belt and held it up. “Look at it. It’s old. At least two hundred years old, I’d say.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, it’s an antique, so?”

“Yeah, an antique made by craftsman two hundred years ago and perfectly to your face.” He pressed the mask to her face to emphasize his point. “They slowed your body clock, all right, but you’re not fifty. Nearer three hundred. And it’s been a long old reign.

He lowered the mask and pressed it into her hand.

She shook her head. “Nah. It’s ten years. I've been on this throne ten years.”

The Doctor nodded. “Ten years. And the same ten years over and over again…”

Liz stared down at the mask in her hand. The Doctor grabbed her by the wrist and led her along to a computer.

“Always leading you here.”

You and Amy followed and saw what Liz and the Doctor were staring at. Two buttons; a Forget button and an Abdicate button.

Liz turned to Hawthorne angrily. “What have you done?”

He walked forward. “Only what you have ordered. We work for you, Ma’am. The Winders, the Smilers, all of us” He pressed a button on the side of the computer and a recording played.

**“If you're watching this… if** ** _I_** **am** **watching this, then I have found my way to the Tower.”**

Liz sat down in front of the screen and watched her recording attentively as a diagram showed up on the screen.  **“The creature you are looking at is called a Star Whale. Once there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space and, according to legend, guided the early space traveler through the asteroid belts. This one as far as we are aware, is the last of its kind.”** Liz’s voice in the recording faltered.  **“And what we've done to it, breaks my heart.”**

The four of you watched the video behind her. 

Dozens of thoughts knocked around in your head but one stood out the most.

_ What did we get into? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY THIS IS SO SHORT


	8. Resolutions?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This part of the story is finally coming to a close and leaving an opening to the following chapter.

**"The Earth was burning.**

**  
** **"Our sun had turned on us and every other nation had fled the skies. Our children screamed as the sun grew hotter.**

**  
** **"And then it came, like a miracle. The last of the Star Whales.**

****  
**"We trapped it,we built our ship around it and we rode on its back to safety."**   
  


Liz's recording paused and seemed to look directly at her present self.

  
**"If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must press the Forget button. Be again the heart of this nation, untainted.** ****  
  


**"If not, press the other button. Your reign will end, the Star Whale will be released, and our ship will disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to make the right decision."**   
  


The screen faded to black.   
  


You looked down at your hands. You had voted. You chose to forget.    
How could you have chosen this? What could have possibly made you think that you had to right to forget something so wrong? To allow the Doctor to make this decision right now?   
  


You looked at Amy. What could she be thinking? She must have felt just as bad as you did. She chose to forget, not because she couldn't be haunted by the memories, but because she didn't want the Doctor to make a choice, to make this impossible choice.

  
She meant well. You knew that. But she didn't have the right to make that decision. And neither did you.

  
Amy breathed in sharply. "I voted for this. Why would I vote for  _ this _ ?!"

  
You watched as the Doctor’s stormy green eyes glared at the Forget button then flash up to meet Amy.

  
"Because you knew if we stayed here, I'd be faced with an impossible choice. Humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me from that. And that was wrong." He pointed an accusing finger at her. "You don't  _ ever _ decide what I need to know.”

  
His eyes flickered over to yours, indicating the same was meant for you.

  
Amy shook her head in disbelief. "I don't even remember doing it..."

  
He looked back at her. "You did it. That's what counts."

  
"I'm, I'm sorry."

  
"Oh, I don't care." He rounded the computer. "When I'm done here, you're going home."

  
You cut in. "Doctor, you can't be serious! She didn't know what she was doing! She's new to all this!"

  
His eyes flashed dangerously at you. "Do  _ not _ defend her. You're not off the hook either."

  
You flinched. He hadn't used that tone on you since... since when? Why couldn't you remember?

 

You knew it had happened, but your brain refused to dig up the memory you were trying so hard to recall.

  
Amy glanced between the two of you guiltily before speaking again. 

  
"Why? Because I made a mistake?" She walked over to stand across from him behind the computer's giant CPU. "One mistake? I don't even remember doing it. Doctor!"

  
He scoffed at her. "Yeah, I know. You're only human." You could practically hear the thunder rumbling in his chest.

  
Amy shook her head as he began sorting through cables. "That's not fair."

  
"Well, it's a good thing I didn't promise that."

  
Liz persisted. "There must be something we can do, some other way."

  
"Nobody  **talk to me.** " He slammed his hands down, causing everyone in the room to flinch. Even the unresponsive children. " **Nobody human has anything to say to me today!** "

  
There it was, the rolling thunder. The Oncoming Storm.

  
He stared them down until they backed off. You on the other hand walked over next to him.

  
"What do you want me to do?"

  
" _ Nothing _ ," he responded gruffly. "I don't want any help."

  
"Tough," you replied bravely. "Now what. Do you. Need me. To do."

You stressed every syllable, making it as clear as possible that you had no intention of backing down.

  
"I need you to sit over there with the other humans and let me do what I need to do."

  
You sighed heavily. "Doctor, I'm not letting you do this on your own. You can threaten me all you want, hell, you can even take me back home if you want to. But I am not about to let you hold onto this guilt by yourself. If this is going to happen then we're doing this together."

  
He stared at you for an unsettling amount of time. Just as you were starting to think that maybe this wasn't a good idea he cocked his head behind him.

  
"Strip those cables for me." He tossed a pair of pliers from his pocket at you, which you caught easily.

  
With a nod you got to work.

  
In the hour it took to do most of the work it was mostly spent in silence. The only words exchanged were the occasional instructions and passing of tools.

  
For the most part you avoided his gaze, knowing he would need his time to cool off. It wasn't until his arm brushed against yours that you lifted your eyes to look up at him. His dark green eyes pierced yours, then flickered back down to his work.

 

“Timmy!” 

 

You look over at Mandy as she pulled a curly haired boy from a line of children.

 

“You made it, you’re okay.” She pulled him into a tight hug with a grin. But her smile faltered when she took in his blank expression. “It’s me, Mandy.”

 

Suddenly a tentacle rose out from the grate the Doctor had opened and loomed over her. Your heart lept into your throat and constricted as it bent over to… tap her shoulder?

 

Mandy turned around, startled as the sting leveled with her face. She raised her hand to it slowly and stroked it gently, watching as it relaxed at her touch.

 

The pliers in your hands dropped onto the floor with a sharp  **clang!** , causing the Doctor to flinch and Amy to stand abruptly.

 

“What is it?”

 

Before you can respond, Amy grabbed Liz’s wrist and yanked her over to the voting machine.

 

“Doctor, stop! Whatever it is you two are doing, stop it now! Sorry, Your Majesty. Going to need a hand.”

 

You and the Doctor called out in unison. “Amy,  **no** !”

 

Too late. She slammed the Queen’s hand onto the Abdicate button and the whole room shook. 

 

You grabbed on to the nearest thing to stop you from falling down, which was the Doctor’s arm as his free hand grabbed a computer.

 

A booming roar resounded throughout the entire ship.

 

The Doctor gaped at the grinning redhead. “Amy, what have you done?”

 

“Nothing at all,” she shrugged and looked over  at Hawthorne. “Am I right?” 

 

He rushed to the nearest screen and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “We’ve increased speed!”

 

“Yeah, well you stopped  _ torturing  _ the pilot!” She replied smugly as her eyes met the Doctor’s.

 

Liz came up behind Hawthorne, taking a look s

at the readings herself. “It’s still here. I don't understand.”

 

“The Star Whale didn't come like a miracle all those years ago,” Amy explained, splaying her hands in front of her. “It volunteered. You didn't have to trap it or torture it. That was all just you.” She smiled softly at the Doctor. “It came because it couldn't watch your children cry. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead. No future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry.”

 

You felt the Doctor stiffen and watched as unshed tears prickled the corners of his eyes. 

 

You smiled warmly at Amy.

 

______________

 

“We’re almost ready to go.” You informed Amy as she walked up to you. You eyed the white mask in her hands. “What’s that?”

 

Amy frowned down at the mask before looking up. “Liz says she wants to give it to the Doctor, as a promise.”

 

You grinned. “Nice, another souvenir to add to the collection. He’ll love it.”

 

The two of you turned to watch the Doctor as he gazed through a huge window of the observation deck to see the stars.

 

A comfortable silence passed over the two of you until Amy decided to interrupt it.

 

“Is he mad at me?”

 

You watched her from the corner of your eye.

 

“No. He just…,” you paused as you searched for the right words. “...feels exposed right now. Not many people can read him as easily as you did.” 

 

She observed the Doctor quietly and fiddled with the mask in her hands.

 

“You should be the one to give it to him.”

 

She snapped her head towards you. “What?”

 

“You two need to talk it out.” You answered plainly.

 

“I’m not the one who had a row with him.”

 

You rolled your eyes, clearly not amused with her comment, and crossed you arms. “Even then, this is your first adventure with him. It’s important for the two of you to establish your rules and boundaries before he plans on taking you anywhere else.”

 

She narrowed her eyes slightly. “Did you?”

 

“Yep, and here I am, still with him three years later.” You nudged her forward. “Now go on, he won't bite!”

 

You smiled softly as the two of them talked and eventually exchanged a hug.

 

You stuck your hand in your pocket and took out your TARDIS key. As if on que the Doctor and Amy strolled up to you and the three of you headed towards the beloved blue box.

 

You unlocked the TARDIS and leaned against the door beside the Doctor.

 

Amy looked back at the market behind her.

 

“Shouldn’t we say goodbye? Won’t they wonder where we went?”

 

The Doctor nodded. “For the rest of their lives. Oh, the songs they'll write!”

 

You chuckled. “Oh, yeah! Like that really nice one they made for me in Khalisadir.”

 

The Doctor winced and glanced briefly at your abdomen. “Never mind Khalisadir. Big day tomorrow.”

 

Amys eyes widened. “What?”

 

“Big day,” the Doctor explained. “I have a time machine. I always make sure to skip the little ones.”

 

“You know about what I said about getting back for tomorrow morning?,” Amy grimaced. “Have you ever just ran away because you were scared, or not ready, or just because you could?” 

 

The Doctor nodded solemnly. “Once a long time ago.”

 

**RING - RING**

 

The three of you flinched and looked back at the TARDIS.

 

Amy blinked. “You have a phone?”

 

You held your hand up. “I got it guys, you two keep talking.”

 

You entered the TARDIS and patted the stair railing lovingly as you bounded up to the phone

 

You picked up the slim telephone and leaned against the console.

 

“You’ve reached the Doctor’s TARDIS who's is this?”

 

A man’s deeply accented voice answered on the other end of the line. “This is the Prime Minister.”

 

You switched the phone to the other ear. “Which Prime Minister?”

 

“The British one.”

 

You could practically hear  his frown on the other end. “Which British one,” you chuckled.

 

“Winston Churchill.”

 

You grinned. “ Oh, Winston! It’s ______! ______ ______.”

 

“______? Blimey, how long has it been!”

 

“You tell me.”

 

“I’d say… thirty years?’

 

You laughed, “no wonder I didn't recognize your voice.”

 

You looked up as Amy and the Doctor came in with matching smiles.

 

The Doctor dipped his head. “Who is it?”

 

“It’s Winston.” You replied and held out the phone for him.

 

He grabbed it and held it to his ear. “Oh, hello dear! What's up?”

 

Amy nudged you. “First the Queen now the Prime Minister? Do people like that usually phone him?”

 

You snorted. “That’s nothing. You should've been there when Cleopatra called! Now that was something.”

 

Amy looked like she was about to ask you something. Most likely how the pharoah Cleopatra had a cellphone plan but you cut in before she could speak.

 

“So what's that stuff you had planned for tomorrow?”

 

“I’m getting married.”

 

You gasp loudly. “No way! But you aren't even wearing a ring.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “That’s only because Rory is afraid I'll lose it.”

 

“You’re marrying Rory?!” You pulled her into a quick hug. “I’m so happy for you both! We should ask the Doctor for him to come along with us.”

 

Amy smirked. “Already taken care of. He said we can pick him up before we head anywhere else.”

 

“That’s great.”

 

You turned back towards the console in time to see the Doctor hang up.

 

“Are we heading out?”

 

“Nah.” He tucked his thumbs beneath his braces. “We’ve all had a long day. I'd say its just about time for the two of you to get some sleep.” His eyes flickered over to Amy. “We’ll pick up Rory before we leave.”

 

Amy nodded and yawned loudly. “Well, I’m going to sleep. I let you two lovebirds do whatever it is you two do before bed.”

 

You pursed your lips tightly and the Doctor's eyes widened as she left the console room.

 

He turned towards you with a cocked eyebrow. “Lovebirds?”

 

“Well, we’re not exactly subtle,” you replied.

 

The Doctor took a step forward and grabbed your hands. “Guess not.” His thumbs rubbed circles into your pulse points. “Now, what would you like to see tonight?”

 

“Surprise me.”

 

He pulled one hand away and cranked a lever, causing the TARDIS to travel smoothly to wherever she had planned on taking you.

 

You glanced between the Doctor and the blue double doors excitedly before rushing up to them.

 

You paused when you heard the Doctor following suit.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Joining you?”

 

“Yeah… no. You need to take a shower.”

 

“It’s not that bad,” he scoffed.

 

“You were hurled by space whale. I’d say that's pretty bad.”

 

He lifted his arm up, competely unamused and took a sniff. He grimaced.

 

“I think I'll go.”

 

You shook your head. “You go do that. I'll wait for you.”

 

You lied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some referencing for future fics that will be posted in the following months and will connect with this particular part of the series.  
> Hope you enjoyed and thanks for sticking with me this long~


	9. Blitzed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this part of the series. Thank you so much for sticking through with me guys! It really means a lot. :) <3

Once the Doctor was out of hearing range you tiptoed down the stairs and pressed your hand against the TARDIS doors. You wondered what awaited you in the other side. Was it a galaxy made of crystal planets? Uncharted constellations? A supernova never before observed until tonight?

  
You peeked behind you towards the hallway. You knew you told the Doctor you would stay and wait for him until he was fresh out the shower, but the idea of seeing something new before he did was just so tempting. You could just imagine it, you a twenty-three year old human woman discovering something before the Doctor. Before anyone.

  
You took a quick breath, shuddering with anticipation and pushed open the door to see... a dingy old alleyway.

  
"What the..."

  
You stepped out the TARDIS, turning your head to the right. There was an old building with a backdoor as dingy as the alley. If it weren't for the muffled sound of jazz music, you'd have thought it was abandoned.

  
You looked to your left and your heart lept in your throat. There stood the TARDIS, old and battered. The way it looked when your first Doctor had it.

  
Before you knew, it you found yourself face to door with the TARDIS. You pressed your hand against the door, feeling the familiar thrum of life beneath the wood panelling. Despite the battered exterior, she felt younger, new.

  
"Why did you bring me here, old girl?" You asked both spaceships. Your other hand dug into your pocket and took out your key.

  
You wondered, was the Doctor in there? Was it your first Doctor? Was he with one of his formed companions? Or was this moment in time when he was still alone?

  
Would he recognize you? 

  
Before you gathered the nerve to stick your key into the lock, loud sirens boomed from all around you. You yelped rushing backwards to your current Doctor's TARDIS.    
The moment you heard the first bombshell hit the earth, you jumped into the TARDIS and closed the door behind you. Your heart pounded in your chest and your knees nearly buckled with every tremor that passed through the wooden doors.

  
After what felt like an eternity, the bombshells ceased as did the quakes. You swallowed thickly half expecting the Doctor, your Doctor, to come rushing in with damp clothes and shampoo in his hair. When he didn’t you realised the TARDIS was much better at blocking out sound than you thought.

 

You leaned against the doors and took a deep breath in. The bombshells were finished which meant wherever the other Doctor was ,sooner or later he would go and check if the TARDIS was okay. 

 

You rushed up to the console and pressed several buttons. There, at least now this TARDIS was cloaked. 

 

You pulled over the console screen and turned it on. A man stepped out of the abandoned building and looked around.

 

“Rose?”

 

Your heart skipped a beat. That  _ had  _ to be him. The Doctor.

 

You took in his appearance as he picked up a black and white cat into his arms. He was all ears and leather this one, wasn't he? And his hair not nearly as fabulous as your last Doctor.

 

Despite that you couldn't stop that smile that plastered itself on your face as he spoke to the cat in his arms. He was still your Doctor, even if he did seem a bit rough around the edges. 

 

You continued watching the screen as he set the cat down and went over to the TARDIS. 

 

Wait a minute. Was the TARDIS, his TARDIS, ringing?

 

“How can you be ringing?” The two of you asked in unison, which immediately made you grin.

 

“What’s that about, ringing?” He opened a panel at the side of the TARDIS. “What am I supposed to do with a ringing phone?”

 

“Don’t answer it,” a woman's voice spoke out of the screen’s view. “It’s not for you.”

 

Your brow furrowed as the Doctor crossed his arms at the young woman. “And how do you know that?”

 

“‘Cos I do. And I'm telling you, don't answer it.”

 

You cocked an eyebrow. That wasn't a very compelling argument. But you could tell by the tone of her voice she wasn't going to divulge anymore.

 

“Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing?” He yanked on the phone's cord revealing a disconnected line. “It's not connected, it’s not--”

 

He frowned before proceeding to hold the phone to his ear.

 

“Hello,” he greeted cheerily. “Hello? This is the Doctor speaking. How may I help you?”

 

You leaned forward onto the console as the Doctor argued with whoever it was on the phone. Whoever it was, it was beginning to trouble him. Just as he was about to hang up you heard a scratching noise at the TARDIS doors, your TARDIS doors, followed by a curious mew.

 

You froze. The cat.

 

You sprinted down the steps as the cat kept clawing at the invisible door. If you didn't shoo it away quickly this Doctor would no doubt try to investigate.

 

You cracked the left door open slightly and swatted at the cat harmlessly. Unfortunately the cat liked that and swatted at your feet.

 

“Shoo,” you whispered frantically at the cat. “Go away before he sees me!”

 

“Who’s there?” You froze at the sound of the other Doctor. “Whoever you are come out of there.” 

 

His voice commanded you and you didn't have the guts to argue. You didn't know this Doctor and what he was capable of. You didn't know how long he had been traveling with Rose and if her living in the TARDIS had affected him yet.

 

You slinked out of the TARDIS, closing the door shut behind you. You looked up to see the leather clad alien glaring down at your form with crossed arms

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I can’t answer that.”

 

He raised his chin up slightly, frown deepening on his face. “Why not?”

 

“Because time will get wibbly wobbly if I do.”

 

“What,” his blue eyes squinted at you.

 

Despite the menacing look on his face you managed a smirk.

 

“You’ll understand when you're older.”

 

The Doctor’s eyes widened in understanding and his posture relaxed. 

 

“You’re my companion?”

 

“Will be, yeah.”

 

His eyes looked at you head to toe, trying to memorize every detail.

 

“And Rose?”

 

“You know I can't answer that, Doctor.”

 

He nodded before cocking his head behind you.

 

“I take it that's the TARDIS.”

 

You ducked your head in affirmation and rapped your knuckles against the wooden door. You took two steps forward. His eyes were the same. So beautiful but so tortured. Your hand found its way to his face, where it seemed it always belonged.

 

“How old are you?”

 

“Nine hundred.”

 

You smiled, it would only be five years before he would meet you.

 

“You’re lookin’ pretty good for a nine century old alien.”

 

Your smile widened as he scoffed with an eye roll but didn't shy from your touch.

 

“No need to be surprised. Judging by the look on your face I’m still not so bad.” It was his turn to smirk now. 

 

“Eh, not bad for an old man,” you replied with a cheeky grin before looking back up at the sky. “When are we anyway?”

 

“London, 1943, The Blitz.”

 

You grimaced. “Great, that explains the racket from earlier.”

 

“What about you and me? What are you doing here,” the Doctor asked with a quirk of the brow.

 

“Well I can't get too specific but let's just say an old friend of yours made us a call and were just about to go help them.”

 

“”Them” as in non-binary or “them” for anonymity?”

 

“Stop trying to get answers out of me, Doctor. You know how dangerous it is.”

 

“More dangerous than being in 1940s London during the Blitz with a blonde with a Union Flag on her shirt?”

 

You huffed. “Good point but you know the answer to that.”

 

The Doctor nodded appreciatively. “You’re good. I must really like you.”

 

“Please,” you snorted. “You love me.”

 

The Doctor smirked knowingly. “I’ll take your word for it.”

 

You cleared your throat awkwardly and removed your hand from his face. “Anyway, I should probably get the TARDIS to leave before we cause some type of paradox.”

 

The Doctor nodded. “Best get onto that, then. I need to find where Rose got off to this time.”

 

You nodded again with a smile, stepping backwards to the TARDIS. “Go easy on her, old man. She means well.”

 

He snorted, “Too much if you ask me.” He smiled then an honest to god smile that, from what you heard from your previous Doctor, you never thought this regeneration was capable of.

 

“All of us do.” You leaned back against the doors of the TARDIS. “I’ll be seeing you soon Doctor.”

 

The Doctor nodded and ran off to find Rose as you shut the TARDIS doors behind you.

 

You stared up at the console. “I’m not sure why you brought me here, but thank you.”

 

The TARDIS hummed back contently and began flashing light on her console for you to push the according buttons and pull the right levers.

 

“I’m guessing this is between you and me now, huh? The Doctor won't know when I went to visit him. Just that I did.”

 

As if confirming your statement she shone a light on the final lever. You pulled it down, smiling as she set off to a random destination surprisingly smooth as you held onto the console rail. 

 

You patted the railing lovingly as you walked down the stairs and sat by the door of the TARDIS, waiting for your Doctor to come back from his shower. Just as you began wondering if maybe this regeneration managed to be more picky about his appearance, the Doctor walked in washed, dried, and in fresh clean clothes.

 

He wore the usual brown slacks and braces with a light blue oxford and dark blue bowtie. His brow furrowed at you before glancing at the console.

 

“Did you move the TARDIS?”

 

You licked your lips nervously and raked your fingers through your hair. “Yeah, the last place sounded a bit… explosive. So the TARDIS helped me take us somewhere else. I’m surprised you didn’t come running out the shower to check what was going on.”

 

He blinked, eyebrows raised as he regarded you. “She’s never done that before.”

 

You smiled up at him as he made his way down the stairs. “Yeah, I think she's beginning to warm up to me.”

 

He smiled softly and snapped his fingers. The TARDIS complied, opening her doors outwards and revealing a colorful mosaic of stars and constellations. Your breath hitched at the sight, completely entranced with the view as the Doctor’s arm found its place around your waist, pulling you close beside him. On instinct, your head lolled over to rest on his shoulder, content with the lack of his tweed jacket.

 

“The Saimiri Borealis, home to about 128 planetary systems as well as fiftytwo independant lunar colonies. Funny thing about the name, Saimiri is actually the genus name of Earth’s squirrel monkeys, which oddly enough looks a lot like one of the more prominent deities of this galaxy.” He chuckled, as a memory surfaced. “You should see how many berries and nuts they offer on their holidays. Just billions of them chucking them down this bottomless gorge!” His other harm gestured wildly as he spoke.

 

Your smile faltered slightly as he told his story, remembering what Amy had told you earlier. You two had gone very dangerously domestic, so much so you were sure his previous body would have cringed. Were you supposed to talk about it? Would he be as opposed to talking about feelings as he always had? Or would he welcome it?

 

“Doctor.”

 

“Hmm?” The Doctor looked down at you, bottom lip stuck between his teeth.

 

“Are you still angry? About earlier, I mean.” You shuffled in his grip, lifting your head to level your gaze with him. “Should we talk about it?”

 

“What’s there to talk about?” He frowned thoughtfully, the skin between his brows puckering out as he furrowed them.

 

“Us, the decisions we make, how we’re going to deal with two more people on the TARDIS and the possibility of all four of us butting heads in a near death situations.” You turned towards him, tucking your legs beneath you. 

 

“That’s not important.”

 

“Of course it’s important, this is  _ our  _ future on the line.”  _ Our, yes, our future.  _ It felt odd saying that, the two of you could never be sure just how long your future would last. “We should at least… discuss it.”

 

The Doctor frowned, eyes wandering back over to the Saimiri Borealis. He took a deep breath in and let it out through his nose. 

 

“I understand that you're… worried about all four of us on the TARDIS and what that means. And obviously we won’t always see eye to eye. But the way I see it, we worry enough about the future and the past as it is. Our future, Amy and Rory’s future, that's something that we should let take its course, don't you think?”

 

You let his words sink in. You supposed they had some reasoning behind it. You did already stress about the future past and present of the universe. To stress about one more thing wouldn’t exactly be wise, but, wasn’t this something that was worth worrying about?

 

“I guess, but, don’t you think we should at least have some rules or something? Get our boundaries and limits straight when Rory join us?”

 

The Doctor frowned. “Boundaries?”

 

“Yeah, like no barging into each other's bedrooms without knocking first. Or no getting involved in each other's rows. Keeping relationships separate from our responsibility.” You counted off on your fingers as you listed. The Doctor simply smiled as you spoke. “What?”

 

The Doctor shook his head with a grin and wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you flush against his side. “I like seeing you this enthusiastic. We’ll settle things tomorrow once we pick up Rory. Until then, let’s enjoy the Saimiri Borealis, yeah?” He blinked his deep green eyes at you, weakening your resolve.

 

You relented with a sigh. “Fine, tomorrow. And don’t think you can get out of it with those pretty eyes of yours.”

  
“Of course not,” he chuckled and laid his cheek on top your head, gazing out at the galaxy before the two of you.


End file.
